Conventional computer systems operate software applications that assist users in document processing and modifying information contained in such documents. Such software applications are commonly used to perform tasks for computer users such as word processing, graphic design, image processing and the like. Typically, these software applications provide users with a variety of tools that facilitate the modification of data within a document. More specifically, conventional software applications provide tools enabling a user to select data, such as text or image data, within a document and to manipulate and/or delete the selected data (e.g., highlighting a text string in a word processing document and subsequently deleting the highlighted text, or changing the font of the highlighted text).
As another example, various conventional software applications include conventional redaction tools that allow a user to modify, or mark-up, text data within a document such that the data is unrecognizable and/or irretrievable by other users who have subsequent access to the document. Generally, such conventional redaction tools modify text within a document resulting in a ‘black box’ or similar rectangular graphical barrier that serves as a place-filler in lieu of the redacted text. An example application of a conventional software redaction tool involves the redaction of sensitive information contained in electronic documents as part of the discovery phase during litigation in a lawsuit or the removal of classified information from government documents that are released to the public.
Other document processing technologies include various features that allow a user to interact with content within a document via an input device (e.g., a mouse). More specifically, one typical interactive feature (commonly referred to as a “mouse over”) is implemented by a user moving a cursor (via an input device such as a mouse) over particular content (e.g., an icon or similar graphical image) in a graphical user interface such that the document processor modifies, manipulates, deletes, etc. the graphical representation of the content and/or displays new content (e.g., a dialogue box) related to the “moused over” content. In turn, when the user moves the cursor away from the content, the document processor returns the particular content to its original graphical representation as displayed before the ‘mouse over’ processing.